SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance’s latest technology ranking, Samsung Group’s brand worth increased to US$97.4 billion in 2026. This marks an 8.9% growth from US$89.4 billion in 2025. Samsung secured the eighth spot among the world’s top technology brands, dropping one position from the previous year. It remains the only South Korean brand in the global top 10, maintaining its status alongside the leading names in international technology markets.
The aggregate value of the top 100 technology brands grew by 15%, reaching US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion a year earlier. Apple, Microsoft, and Google continued to hold the top three positions. Nvidia advanced to fifth place after its brand value more than doubled, reaching US$184.3 billion. This growth pushed Samsung down one rank despite its higher valuation. US-based companies still dominate the majority of the ranking’s total value.
South Korea has five brands on the global list, with a combined brand value of US$135.3 billion, reflecting an 8% increase from 2025. This positions South Korea third after the US and China. SK hynix ranked 28th with a brand value of US$15.8 billion. LG came in at 44th with US$9.6 billion. Coupang reached US$8.8 billion, while Naver was placed 95th, valued at US$3.7 billion.
Semiconductor Sector Drives Samsung’s Brand Value
Brand Finance highlighted Samsung’s strength in memory chips and semiconductors as a key factor behind its brand value growth. The report also pointed out the rising demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s operations span smartphones, televisions, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, giving the brand a foothold in both consumer and business technology sectors. The US$97.4 billion valuation reflects the economic worth of the brand itself, not the company’s market capitalization, sales figures, or physical assets.
This valuation is derived using a royalty relief approach. It considers marketing investments, consumer perceptions, and business performance to assign a brand strength score. Then, a royalty rate is applied to forecasted brand-related revenue, with after-tax earnings discounted to present value. This methodology adheres to the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation, estimating the potential revenue a company could generate if licensing its brand in an open-market scenario.
Persistent Concentration in Global Tech Rankings
Within the broader Global 500 ranking, seven out of the top ten positions are occupied by technology firms. Apple remains the world’s most valuable brand, with Microsoft in second place. The Technology 100 index has also seen significant growth among chipmakers and artificial intelligence infrastructure companies, with Nvidia leading that segment, followed by Broadcom and AMD as the fastest-growing tech brands. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon account for nearly 70% of the total value of the Technology 100.
Samsung’s US$97.4 billion valuation accounts for about 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands, whose total is US$37.9 billion. These brands include SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place ranking continues to be the main contributor to South Korea’s third-place national standing. The 2026 figures also indicate another year-over-year increase in Samsung’s brand value, despite its slipping one position in the global leaderboard.